Who Was Missing
by Shipping Goddess
Summary: A look at what was really going on in the episode What Was Missing: backstory, episode events, and a look forward. More chapters to come. Bubbline.
1. Chapter 1

(No affiliation with AT or CN so no rights, etc. And yes, I blatantly borrowed the title. Also, a large chunk of this story comes directly from the episode. Sorry. -SG)

Who Was Missing Ch. 1

-Six years ago-

Bonnibel heard a knock on the doors to her bed chamber. She put down the book she'd been reading and sat up in her bed as she called out, "You may enter."

Peppermint Butler opened the door and said from the entryway, "Princess, the Vampire Queen phoned to say she'll be here shortly…" His voice sounded strange and clipped.

"Thank you, Pep But. Is there something wrong?" she asked.

He considered for a few moments whether he should tell the Princess what was on his mind. Finally, he replied, "May I speak freely?" Bonnibel nodded. "Thank you, Your Highness." He walked a few steps into the room as he gathered his thoughts. "Some citizens of the kingdom are beginning to talk and stir up trouble. They say you're spending too much time with the Vampire Queen."

Bonnibel kept a neutral expression-which she had mastered over her many years of ruling her kingdom-locked on her face as she absorbed this new information for a moment and asked, "And what do think of this?" Peppermint Butler cleared his throat awkwardly. "Still speaking freely, of course," she reminded him.

"You should stay away from her. She'll only hurt you. There are so many other, better suitors you could choose from."

Bonnibel gritted her teeth, but caught herself and returned the neutral expression. "She's different, Peps. And she isn't a suitor at all. You know that."

"She's everything you hate! You should end this before you get too invested and it's too late. What about Finn, that boy who follows you around all the time? He's young, but he's spunky. He'd make a fine prince someday."

"Marceline and I have been best friends for over 300 years, and I've loved her for as long as I can remember. She finally admitted she loves me too. You don't just end it like that! And I don't want to! Besides, Finn is just a boy, and he's just a friend."

"She's keeping you away from your duties as Princess. Your citizens are suffering on their own because you've been running around with her all the time lately."

Bonnibel's eyes widened. She had always prided herself on her ability to care for her citizens as if they were her own family. "I'm… I didn't think-"

The Butler interrupted her, "It's disgraceful for a Princess of your stature to behave so selfishly, putting her own interests over the best interest of her subjects."

Bonnibel trembled and struggled to keep her voice even. "You may leave, Peppermint Butler."

"I'm sorry, Princess. I onl-"

"You may leave."

"Of course, Your Highness." She watched the Butler gravely as he backed out of her room with his gaze aimed at the floor. She waited until he had closed the doors to her room and walked down the hall before she curled up in her bed let herself cry. She felt like she would never stop.


	2. Chapter 2

(No affiliation with AT or CN so no rights, etc. And yes, I blatantly borrowed the title. Also, a large chunk of this story comes directly from the episode. Sorry. -SG)

Who Was Missing Ch. 2

-Later that night-

Marceline smiled as soon as the light from Bonnibel's bedroom window came into sight. She always smiled when she knew she'd be seeing Bonnibel soon. She landed lightly on the windowsill and stood there observing the girl's nearly motionless figure in the large, fluffy bed. Marceline couldn't see Bonnibel's face because her back was turned toward the window, but she assumed the girl was sleeping.

Marceline loved to watch Bonnibel sleep. Not for any creepy reasons, she just knew that the Princess so rarely let her brain rest and it was nice to see her relax. It seemed like whenever Bonnibel wasn't attending royal banquets or decreeing laws, she was cooped up in her lab or reading science journals or doing fieldwork. Marceline was always worried about the Princess working herself too hard and frequently told her so in her characteristic tactless way.

Marceline couldn't count even begin to count how many times they'd had variants of that conversation. "You look awful." "Thanks." "I mean, you look tired. Why don't you just take a nap? We'll watch a movie later or something." "Will you sing to me?" And Marceline would float over the bed and sing the Princess to sleep. Then she'd lie down beside her and listen to her soft snoring and occasional mumbling in her sleep.

Marceline's thoughts snapped back to reality when Bonnibel turned over to face her. She smiled softly at the Princess. "I thought you were sleeping."

Bonnibel smiled strangely in return. "So you were just going to stand there watching me?"

Marceline laughed and it sounded like music to the Princess. "Maybe. Guess you'll never know." She smiled wryly and gently set her ax bass on the windowsill before floating over to kiss Bonnibel's pink cheek. The Princess sat up quickly and pulled Marceline into a tight hug. "Are you okay, Bonni?" Marceline asked. She felt the Princess say something that sounded vaguely like a muffled "Yeah," but she wasn't convinced. She said as much.

"Really, Marcy, I'm fine." Marceline eyed her suspiciously, so Bonnibel changed the subject. She spied the bass by the window. "You brought your bass! Are you going to sing for me?" She asked hopefully. Marceline's singing was beautiful and always soothed the Princess and made her happy. She loved how much Marceline loved music.

Marceline shuffled awkwardly for a moment and began floating slightly above the bed. She looked up at the ceiling and answering, "I maybe, kinda… wrote something… for you." She looked back at the Princess after she finished and saw her face lit up with excitement.

"But you've never written for anyone before!" Bonnibel was clearly over the moon and that just made Marceline feel even more awkward. She was right, the Vampire Queen had written songs _about_ people, but she had never written a song specifically _for_ anyone before. Marceline wasn't nervous because of the song; she knew that her music skills were above average-that's what happened when you spend centuries playing. She was nervous because she wasn't very good at expressing herself. Often she'd been hurt by people she loved, so she was hesitant to really open herself up to anyone, but she and Bonnibel had been friends for almost ever. If Marceline could trust anyone, it was Bonnibel.

Marceline looked up at the ceiling again and said, "Well… I never had you before." She looked at the Princess out of the corner of her eye. The girl was smiling widely and it made Marceline blush.

"May I hear it, Marceline?" the Princess asked, enthusiasm and adoration pouring from her voice. Marceline was suddenly struck with fear at the thought of getting up and playing the song she'd written for Bonnibel. What if she played it wrong or if she came on too strong, or if Bonnibel didn't like it…?

She tried to back out. "It's really not that good…" She saw Bonnibel's expression fall and it made her feel bad for getting her hopes up and letting her hang like that, so she amended, "But yeah, you can hear it, I guess. She floated over to her bass and began to play before she could psych herself out again.

"_Bonnibel, you're my goddess_

_I'd spend eternity with you_

_Bonnibel, you're my princess_

_I hope you'll spend it with me too_

_I wish that I was made of sugar_

_So I'd be crazy sweet like you_

_You know I'd do anything for you_

'_Cause I know you're the one, it's true_

_Bonni, you are my always_

_You are my always_

_It's like I'm only half a person without you_

'_Cause you're my always_

_I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I thought my heart couldn't beat 'til I met you_

_And I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I couldn't bear to be apart from you_

_I'm sorry I took so long but I hope that you like this song_

_And I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I promise that I'll make it up to you_

_Because I love you_

_And you're my always_

_Bonni, I love you_

_And you're my always"_

Marceline looked over at Bonnibel to gauge her reaction as she finished and saw tears running tracks down the Princess's face. She immediately thought the worst."I'm sorry, Bonni. I didn't mean to upset you. I can work on the song. It's not really done yet anyway."

Bonnibel sniffled, then said, "No, Marcy, I love it. It's beautiful. It's perfect. You're perfect. That's the problem." The Princess began crying harder when she finished speaking. Marceline was confused but she floated back down onto the bed and held the Princess as she wept.

"Bonni, I don't get it… What's wrong?" she asked softly once the Princess had calmed down slightly.

Bonnibel was silent for a few moments, then said, "I love you, Marceline."

Marceline smiled. "Love you too, but I think I missed something. As in, why are you crying?" She kissed the top of Bonnibel's head. "What can I do?"

Bonnibel stood up and paced in front of her bed, gathering herself for a few moments before saying in as even a tone as she could muster, "You can go away." As soon as the words left her lips, she regretted them and hated herself for saying them. But she knew what she had to do. It was her responsibility as Ruler of the Candy Kingdom to put her citizens' needs above her own.

Marceline jerked upright like she'd been punched in the gut. She was stunned speechless for a moment. "Wha-Bonni?"

Bonnibel struggled to get the words out without her voice wavering. "If you really love me, Marceline, leave. Don't come back." She physically shuddered as she realized she was using the tone she usually saved for those sentenced to the dungeon. Distant, emotionless, cold. Things she knew she could never really be toward Marceline, her best friend and her love.

"Are you kidding me, Bonnibel?" Marceline floated over to the Princess, searching her face for some sign that it was just a cruel joke. Her eyes filled up with tears when all she was met with was a steely gaze. "What did I do?" she asked, her voice wavering and thick with the tears she fought to hold back.

Bonnibel turned away from Marceline and wiped the tears off her own cheeks. "Goodbye," was all she said.

Marceline growled deep in her throat and her eyes turned fiery red with rage. She grabbed up her ax bass and planted her feet on the floor. She jumped and sprang over to the windowsill and shouted venomously at Bonnibel, "Ugh, WHATEVER Your Highness. You can just throw away my stuff, I don't want it anymore." With that declaration, Marceline morphed into a giant bat creature and flew off into the night sky.

Bonnibel closed her window and curled up in her bed. Great, guttural sobs wracked her body until she was exhausted into a restless sleep.


End file.
